diff --git a/src/cpu/p6/l2_cache.c b/src/cpu/p6/l2_cache.c
index 2ae7674a74..5a1c3b22b2 100644
--- a/src/cpu/p6/l2_cache.c
+++ b/src/cpu/p6/l2_cache.c
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ int intel_l2_configure()
 	int signature, tmp;
 	int cache_size;
 
+	cache_disable();
+
 	intel_cpuid(0, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx);
 
 	if (ebx != 0x756e6547 || edx != 0x49656e69 || ecx != 0x6c65746e) {